It is July 11, 2025; 9/11 is two months away. It is time to start planning! We utilize an interactive memorial display and service opportunity on the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance to teach students about the causes, events, and consequences related to terrorism, but also to honor and remember those we have lost in these violent attacks. This is a perfect service-learning project for US History, Civics, AVID, JROTC, and IB students, and will meet the Florida State Statute that requires middle school in civics and high school in US Government to receive at least 45 minutes of instruction on "9/11 Heroes' Day" topics involving the history and significance of September 11, 2001. Email Dr. Verdi today!

The Jackson In Action 83 Foundation, in partnership with the Florida Blue Foundation and the NFL Foundation, is excited to announce that registration is now open for our 2nd Annual Mind Masters, a FREE wellness workshop for rising middle schoolers, taking place on Saturday, August 23, at The Skills Center. Learn about maintaining emotional health, cybersecurity, and social media, and end the day with an interactive therapeutic session such as yoga, art therapy, pet therapy, dance, photography, or physical movement. There will be giveaways throughout the day, and everyone will go home with a bag that includes swag items, as well as information on additional mental and emotional health resources.

Virtual Kindness Activities (Just because!)

Good Deeds Day All Summer!

Value-based Extracurricular Ideas: Good for you and those around you!

Students can begin service the day after they leave middle school, so use this summer to get in some great volunteer work! Students no longer have to get pre-approval for BrightFutures service hours.

United Way Suncoast

Volunteer Match

Points of Light

Volunteer Connect

YMCA

Humane Society of Tampa Bay

Feeding America Tampa Bay

Metropolitan Ministries

American Red Cross

The Spring Tampa Bay

Just Serve

City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department

Ronald McDonald House Tampa

Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful

Middle School Youth Service Leadership Summit

Friday, September 12, 2025 | Tampa, FL

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED! Learn and Serve Tampa invites teams of 2–10 middle school students to participate in a Youth Service Leadership Summit focused on planning high-quality, student-led community service projects.

This hands-on training is designed for students in grades 6–8 who are ready to lead, collaborate, and make a difference in their school communities. The event will be open to students from public, charter, private, virtual, and homeschool settings.

• Time: The session will last approximately 2.5–3 hours and will be scheduled to accommodate three different middle school start and end times.

• Location: Tampa, FL

• Transportation: Must be arranged by the school, in accordance with district field trip policies. Learn and Serve Tampa will assist with planning and funding support for transportation and class coverage if available.

• Meals: Snacks and water will be provided. Students should bring their own lunch.

This summit is a great opportunity for young leaders who care about their communities and want to take initiative through service.

Space is limited. Interested schools or groups should contact Learn and Serve Tampa as soon as possible to learn more and reserve a spot.

Impact: 820 students participated, 2500 documented service hours

Tangibles: 200 take-home kitten blankets, 300 dog biscuit treats, 50 dog toys, 20 kitty snuggle socks, 200 cans/bags of pet food, 16,485 meals packed at Feeding Tampa Bay.

Results: 58% of our participants stated that this was their first time volunteering, and 98% of those new volunteers indicated they were ready to volunteer again! 67% of new volunteers were interested in leading a future project.

Reflections: When asked to provide three words describing the experience, participants overwhelmingly agreed it was fun (53%), but also indicated they felt helpful, impactful, and part of a team.

Are you interested in building a culture of kindness and compassion in your school while maintaining a focus on academic success? If so, connect with us today to learn how embedding service-learning in a middle school can lead to improved academics, a reduction in disruptive behaviors, and an enhanced sense of belonging and acceptance among students, faculty, staff, and families. High-quality service-learning begins with understanding your students' perceptions of need and how they can help meet those needs. Providing youth with purpose in learning is key to engagement, resiliency, and retention. Schedule a time to talk this summer!

EDUCATION+ is a free platform to help teachers inspire and equip their students to change their lives by changing the world. The platform offers excellent resources for engaging young people in meaningful service. Check it out!

Learn and Serve Tampa is excited to announce we are the recipients of a $1000 grant from Youth Service America (YSA) for our 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance projects. The funds will go towards our 9/11 Day American Flag Memorial, a remembrance project for the victims of the 9/11 attacks, and middle school service-learning projects supporting first responders, active-duty military, Gold Star Families, or veterans.

Of course, the most direct route to supporting our work would be a direct donation through GiveButter!

We need to buy materials and supplies for youth projects, to provide transportation when needed, and general operating funds for insurance, bookkeeping, technology, and more. We hope to expand our capacity to serve and need your support! Have a heart and help us help others!

Our mission at Learn and Serve Tampa Inc, to bring high-quality service-learning instruction to Tampa area K-12 classrooms and schools, is grounded in our core value of youth empowerment. We are building partnerships with teachers and school leaders, other nonprofits, and businesses who agree that we need to listen to our youth and validate their concerns by supporting their service ideas. Service-learning gives youth a voice in solving issues they deem important, building leadership, personal, and social skills while entrenching the content in a real world context. Let's encourage our young people to think critically about real issues and propose solutions! This April-May, give youth time IN SCHOOL to voice their concerns about the future and encourage them to problem solve through service. #youthempowerment #GlobalYouthServiceDay

Student-centered education: Education is a process that needs to be entirely student-centered.

Youth Empowerment: Youth should be empowered to take action on issues that impact the world they are inheriting.

Democratic Thought: Not just what it is, but how you do it. The important role of self-discipline, respect for the rights and beliefs of others, and the process of teamwork and collaboration.

Equity and Equality Matter: An intentional focus on supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion of all human beings.

Healthy Planet, Healthy People: All institutions must adopt and lean into social and environmental sustainability goals.

Service for the Common Good is a Civic Responsibility: Service to others is expected of all. It is not a set of hours to complete. It is a moral imperative to sustaining human civilization. It is a key component to winning in life.